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Soldiers Anthony DeGreenia and Justin Roy (left to right) of the Vermont National Guard, had special permission to appear in less than regulation uniform when they competed in the VT105 Challenge race at the 2014 edition of the Aquafest. As part of the race, they took a selfie at Pick and Shovel in Newport, with an iguana in the background. Photo by Joseph Gresser

Newport’s Aquafest 2015, sponsored by Vermont’s North Country Chamber of Commerce and NorthCountry Federal Credit Union, will take place on Saturday, August 1, in Newport.

Events include the Waterfront Festival commencing at 11 a.m. along the boardwalk of Lake Memphremagog. Vendors, family entertainment, and live entertainment.

Chowderfest will be held at the Gateway Center in Newport from noon to 2 p.m. where locals compete in the chowder competition. Buy a spoon for $5 and dig into a variety of chowders entered to win. The VT 105 Amazing Race Challenge is a fun and exciting race that includes challenges such as eating large amounts of food, counting a large number of items, finding an item/items or people, finding a shop or location, carrying items long distances, assembling a difficult structure, or solving riddles in order to get the next clue and protect your balloon at all costs!

A Plein Air Event (French for “open air”) will be presented by the Wooden Horse Arts Guild and artists from anywhere are invited to “paint outdoors in natural light” in and around Newport during Aquafest.

For more information about Aquafest activities, visit www.northcountry.org or call Lynne Bertrand at (802) 334-7782.

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John Ward and a double stand at a party honoring Newport’s City Manager, who officially retired on July 15. The 50 or so guests had a hard time telling which was the real John Ward, especially since both candidates were dressed in his clothing. Perhaps Mr. Ward’s administrative assistant, Laurel Wilson, could have resolved the question, but she was unaccountably absent when the second Mr. Ward strolled into the room. Photo by Joseph Gresser

copyright the Chronicle July 15, 2015

by Joseph Gresser

NEWPORT — Wednesday, July 15, is the last day on the job for Newport City Manager John Ward Jr., who is winding up his 16-year run and preparing for retirement.

“I’m grateful for the job, otherwise I probably would have had to leave Newport,” he said in an interview at the Newport Municipal Building July 9.

For a lifetime resident of a city that he clearly loves, that would have been a tough burden to bear, but after the city council’s original choice for the job decided not to accept it, Mr. Ward was tapped. Paul Monette and Richard Baraw, two of the aldermen who voted to make him city manager in March 1999, continued to serve on the council for most of Mr. Ward’s service.

Mr. Monette is now mayor, and Mr. Baraw….To read the rest of this article, and all the Chronicle‘s stories, subscribe:

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Pictured here on the left, Renée Swain, executive director of Umbrella, which started the Cornucopia program, spoke at the graduation ceremony for Heidi Massi (right) on Thursday. Photo by Nathalie Gagnon-Joseph

copyright the Chronicle July 8, 2015

by Nathalie Gagnon-Joseph

NEWPORT — Heidi Massi of Barton is one of two students who graduated from the 17-week Cornucopia cooking program on Thursday. Now she can make all kinds of yummy treats, including the focaccia, pizza, and chocolate mousse she made for her graduation party.

Her fellow graduate, Marissa Wheeler, wasn’t available to attend the party.

Cornucopia aims to build marketable skills and confidence in women who are going through a tough transition in their lives.

That could mean almost anything — from leaving an abusive relationship to looking for a career change, said Renée Swain, executive director at Umbrella, the organization that started Cornucopia. Umbrella works with victims of domestic violence.

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Ellen Apple helps her Spiderman suit-clad son Myles hold a bunny at the petting zoo at the block party in Gardener Park in Newport on June 18. For each animal he held, he asked his mom to go find “Nana” so he could show her. Photo by Nathalie Gagnon-Joseph

copyright the Chronicle June 24, 2015

by Nathalie Gagnon-Joseph

NEWPORT — Green Mountain Farm-to-School’s (GMFTS) second annual block party, held at Gardner Park, was bigger and better than last year’s huge success.

That was GMFTS Chairman Julie Poulin’s assessment of the even, which was held on Thursday.

“We’re very lucky to have lots of health and education related organizations in our area,” she said.

Each of those organizations had a tent at the block party, many of which were provided by Newport Parks and Recreation, Ms. Poulin said.

The purpose of the event was to raise awareness about local organizations with activities or products that promote health, and to celebrate the beginning of GMFTS’ ten-week summer meal program called the Lunchbox.

The Lunchbox’s food truck was serving free meals for kids….To read the rest of this article, and all the Chronicle‘s stories, subscribe:

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Joe Queenin of Derby Line holds up a Japanese flag, which was folded inside the helmet of the Japanese soldier he killed during the war. The flag is covered with wishes for a safe return, hand-written by friends and family of the young soldier. Photo by Elizabeth Trail

copyright the Chronicle June 10, 2015

by Elizabeth Trail

NEWPORT — They came walking upright, leaning on canes, or struggling with walkers, holding in their hands treasured memorabilia from over 70 years ago. Seventeen World War II veterans — 16 men and one woman, ranging in age from their late eighties through mid-nineties — assembled at the Goodrich Memorial Library in Newport Saturday to mark the anniversary of the allied invasion of Normandy, France.

The event was organized and hosted by Scott Wheeler, owner and editor of Vermont’s Northland Journal, along with his wife, Penny, and daughter Emily. Over 60 people attended, including the veterans, their families, and members of the community.

“I came to mingle with the other vets and remember the occasion,” said 93-year-old Lindy Palin. “I was reliving a few missions this morning….To read the rest of this article, and all the Chronicle‘s stories, subscribe:

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Newport Jewelers in Newport was burglarized early Monday morning, the first time that’s happened in the 34 years that Lincoln and Jo-Ann Brooks have owned the store. Photo by Joseph Gresser

copyright the Chronicle June 3, 2015

by Tena Starr

NEWPORT — For the first time in the 34 years that Newport Jewelers has been in business, it’s been burglarized, said Lincoln Brooks, who owns the store with his wife, Jo-Ann.

At 4 a.m. on Monday, someone broke into the store, broke two jewelry cases, and “snatched and ran,” Mr. Brooks said.

He said that, as of Tuesday, they had not yet done an inventory so were not sure exactly what was missing, though he believes it could have been considerably worse.

A press release from the Newport Police Department says police responded to the alarm at 4:08 a.m. When they arrived, they found a broken window, and two display cases were broken “and items strewn about.”

The Main Street burglary was certainly brazen, Mr. Brooks said….To read the rest of this article, and all the Chronicle‘s stories, subscribe:

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Many of those involved in planning AnC Bio help turn over the first shovels of dirt on May 14. From left to right, are Vermont State Aeronautics Administrator Guy Rouelle, Jane Fortin and Cindy Robillard of the state Department of Labor, North Country Career Center Director Ilene Illuzzi, Alex Choi, former CEO of AnC Bio Korea, Jerry Davis of PEAK CM, Newport City Mayor Paul Monette, Ariel Quiros, co-owner of Jay Peak Resort and Mr. Stenger’s partner in AnC Bio, Bob Brown Petersen of NME Pharmaplan, AnC Bio Vermont CEO Ike Lee, Jake Lee, who heads development of artificial organs for AnC Bio, and Bill Stenger, president of Jay Peak Resort. Photo by Joseph Gresser

copyright the Chronicle May 20, 2015

by Joseph Gresser

NEWPORT — The long-delayed groundbreaking for AnC Bio took place under fair skies Thursday morning, May 14. Speakers hailed prospects for the $100-million biomedical facility, which is expected to employ between 400 and 500 people when it’s up and running in a year and a half.

They will include people involved in manufacturing artificial organs, technicians to help run equipment in the clean room suites that will be available for rent by independent researchers, and scientists to perform research on stem cell therapies, said Bill Stenger, president of Jay Peak and one of the principals of AnC Bio Vermont. Mr. Stenger said people with education levels up to post-graduate degrees could find jobs at AnC Bio…To read the rest of this article, and all the Chronicle‘s stories, subscribe:

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Helene Lang of Shelburne, appearing in the persona of children’s author Beatrix Potter, was the guest speaker at the tea. Her performance, called “Beatrix Potter Revisited,” is sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council with a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The famous children’s author lived at the same time as the characters of “Downton Abbey.” Photo by Elizabeth Trail

copyright the Chronicle May 13, 2015

by Elizabeth Trail

NEWPORT — It could have been a scene from England between the wars. In the kitchen, maids in lacy white pinafores laid out trays of iced cookies, thinly sliced cake, and cucumber sandwiches on triangles of thin bread — crusts cut off, of course. Out in the grand dining room, about 45 guests in their finest hats and gloves admired elegant table settings and chatted with friends while they waited for their tea to be served.

The event was the Goodrich Memorial Library’s “Downton Abbey” Tea, held on Saturday afternoon in the elegant upstairs rooms of Newport’s historic library. With its grand staircase, high ceilings, and carved paneling, the 1899 library building was the perfect setting for a step back in time. The library has held fancy teas for a number of years — first a mother’s tea, then a senior’s tea, and for the past two years, the “Downton Abbey” tea….To read the rest of this article, and all the Chronicle‘s stories, subscribe:

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A rendering of the proposed 85,000-square-foot AnC Bio building. According to the permit, a portion of the eastern side of the present Bogner building will be demolished to build the new structure. When complete the plant is expected to employee as many as 500 people. Photo by Joseph Gresser

copyright the Chronicle April 1, 2015

by Joseph Gresser

NEWPORT — AnC Bio, the biomedical facility being developed with money from the federal EB-5 visa program, is back on track. A press release from Jay Peak late Tuesday afternoon said the state Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) has approved a revised “private placement memorandum.”

The expiration of that document, which serves as a guide that potential investors can use to judge the potential risks and rewards of a project, led the state to ask Jay Peak to suspend its search for investors last year.